China Jails Activist Who Challenged Government on Earthquake Deaths

2 years ago

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Washington Reporter

A veteran Chinese human rights activist who challenged the government over the faulty construction of schools that led to thousands of deaths in a 2008 earthquake has been sentenced the three years in prison, the Washington Post reports. Huang Qi was convicted of possessing secret state documents, and received the maximum penalty allowable under Chinese law.

The sentence comes in the wake of President Obama's much-scrutinized trip to China, where he pressed the communist regime on human rights. Rights activists -- including Huang's wife -- believe the harsh punishment was a carefully timed rejection of Obama's overtures and a sign that the government plans to crack down harder on those who question it. Many were harassed and subjected to tight surveillance during Obama's visit.

Tagged: barack obama, BarackObama, china, daily guidance, DailyGuidance, huang qi, HuangQi, human rights, HumanRights

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